Shell seals SharePoint deal

Microsoft and T-Systems have signed a five-year deal with Shell as the energy giant looks to help its workers collaborate more effectively.

The oil and gas firm is already one of Microsoft's biggest SharePoint customers, but from April 2011, the company should be able to take advantage of a customised service.

Microsoft and ICT provider T-Systems will work together on providing the service.

"For us as a globally operating company, SharePoint is a key instrument for smooth cooperation in projects with decentralised teams," said Shell's vice president for IT services Jay Crotts.

"This joint solution will allow us to appreciate considerable cost reductions and greater flexibility."

Shell will be taking advantage of a hybrid cloud model in its use of SharePoint.

"It is highly significant for us that Shell, one of our largest SharePoint customers, is now receiving the application in a hybrid cloud, thus putting them at the top of the innovation tree in this area," added Jan Piet van Roon, global client director for Shell at Microsoft.

The announcement comes after Shell signed a deal with Logica last week, worth 300 million (250 million).

That agreement will see the Logica and FleetCor Technologies supply the energy company's Commercial Fleet fuel cards programme across Europe and Asia.

Both moves indicate Shell is increasingly looking to outsourcing rather than running big operations in-house.